October 26, 2006

So what.. It's about 4:51 in the morning and I can't sleep. Well, I'll sleep after Fajr, but that'll be around six in the morning the latest (an hour after prayer pa..hehe!). So what's new? It's not like i haven't done this before..not sleeping early, I mean.

Hmm.. We bought tickets earlier this evening. Be leaving for Mindanao on Thursday. Yey! I get to see my mom, my brothers, my ina (i hope you get well), my cousins, aunts and uncles..Everyone i haven't seen for the longest time! But we're not going there to vacation, really. My sister-in-law's getting married on Saturday, the 28th and she's really dissing that day. I guess when you're going to get married to some complete stranger then that wouldn't feel right, right? If that happened to me... I don't know... I probably would've ran away or something. I think it was brave of her to hang in there and cooperate with the whole thing. But then again, I don't think she had any choice either.

I love being a Muslim. I am grateful to be born into this religion. But it's more of the culture that I don't like really, I guess. Well, some of it. Sure, it is said in Islam that parents may choose for their children who they will marry. But in Islam, the daughter has a choice to accept or decline whoever it is they have chosen for her. The difference of the religion to that of our culture (Maranao), is that irregardless of what the daughter feels, the wedding will commence and there is nothing that she could do to stop it...unless maybe if the parents were understanding and considerate enough of the girl's feelings.

That's probably the only thing I don't like in my culture...Arranged marriages. I mean, sure, it worked for some, and I respect that and I'm really happy for you, but it's just not my cup of tea. It's not like I'm saying that you go and run off with the first guy/girl you find and ride off the sunset, but at least I want to have a say on matters like that. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, and I wouldn't want to spend it with a complete stranger. Or jerk for that matter. Just because he/she comes from an illustrious family that everybody wants to be a part of doesn't make her a god or a goddess. I wouldn't want my child to be wed to someone he/she barely knows. I've seen families come together and then later break apart like fallen legos because the guy's and girl's parents don't get along anymore and it's just sad. I mean, weren't they the ones who made the arrangement in the first place? And then they break up their kids' marriage (just when they have fallen in love with each other) because they belong to opposing parties in politics and have decided to run against each other or simply because they don't get along anymore? This isn't something that I'd want for my child or future children (assuming that Allah (swt) gives us more than one). I'm lucky that my parents didn't force me into doing something (or anything) that I didn't want. Mom, dad..love you to pieces!

Wala lang.. just made me think.

And I guess it's because it's almost, almost five in the morning and I'm still awake.

Oh well... du'as to you sister... you'll get through this...

We got your back.. We love you!